


faux pas

by madoqa



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Drabble, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-21
Updated: 2012-11-21
Packaged: 2017-11-19 04:35:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/569153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madoqa/pseuds/madoqa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony never looks both ways before taking the bottle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	faux pas

**Author's Note:**

> a very brief, experimental drabble.

There's a clink and a shuffle and Tony's about to leave.

White noise.

He can hear chatter and distinct laughter. Gleaming flutes nestled between slender fingers. Practiced joints passing florescence around the world, each coming to an inch from spilling. A playful tune skips between Tony's eardrums. It's too loud and it reminds him of that night eons ago, but the guests dance anyway. They whisper about him vaguely. They don't think Tony can hear them. They don't care, and neither does Tony.

Heavy eyelids.

He remembers the last time he almost fell out of his chair. He'd been just as tired, just as fatigued, as this night. His sweaty palm fit perfectly in the dip between Steve's neck and shoulder. He rested his forehead lightly against Steve's chest, breathing in his scent. The memory brings about a shudder and a few blinks; Tony takes another swig of burning, burning sunlight and he catches himself before he can hit the ground. There's a crease in his brow and angles in his knuckles. But he ignores the blurry toxic and downs the rest of his glass anyway, because he'd never been able to make it work with Steve.

Welling tears.

It's the thing he's suppressed and now it's here. Tony chokes down his sobs but lets his tears mingle with the poison. His throat burns, burns, burns. He can't breathe and he's afraid. He can't do it. He wants to stop. Still, his glass is full.

Greetings.

"Tony, why do you always drink alone?"

Goodbyes.

He hears his footsteps and he knows. Tony forces a fist through his hair as his eyes clamp shut. He can't look, he can't look. There is only white noise and heavy eyelids. Steve is not here. Steve is not here. Steve is gone. And Tony can't bear to say hello.


End file.
